VHF Radio Aerial check in Darwin
Submitted: Saturday, Jun 19, 2010 at 21:10
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Member -Outback Mac C (VIC)
Arriving in
Darwin Tuesday morning. Any locals know who I could get to
check my Autotune Antenna on my Barrett VHF Radio. Have not been able to call in to VKS737 since leaving
home a month ago. Only twice has anyone heard me and they were both close by. (same
camping area) Had the radio checked out in
Cloncurry by the rudest bloke I've ever met who told me there was no probs with the radio (for a large fee), then proceeded to tell me that no one used them anymore and he hadn't worked on one for 5 yrs.
I had already told him I thought it was the aerial but he said he wasn't interested in what I thought! I had the Autotune rebuilt (for a 4 figure sum) when I bought the vehicle 2yrs ago. I don't know whether I have been taken for a ride all around (being female) or whether it is worth trying to get it working as we will be on the road for another 4 mnths or so.
Cheers Mac
Reply By: oldfart1953 - Sunday, Jun 20, 2010 at 01:28
Sunday, Jun 20, 2010 at 01:28
G'Day Mac,
Sorry to hear about your dilemas.
I am a member of the
HF radio club as opposed to VKS737, I know that when I was in the
Darwin area last Sept to Nov I only made contact once or twice during skeds & I wasnt able to make contact with any other members via selcall.
Being so close to our foriegn neighbours to the north ....thats all I could pick up. Once I got below
Katherine &
Broome reception & transmission greatly improved. Hope this helps.... enjoy your trip.
CU down the road
AnswerID:
421487
Reply By: anglepole - Sunday, Jun 20, 2010 at 10:11
Sunday, Jun 20, 2010 at 10:11
Hi Victoria,
You could try some one on this VKS 737 list in
Darwin.
http://www.vks737.on.net/pdfs/DOC%2009.pdf
I don't know what model radio you have (you keep referring to Barrett VHF, Barrett is a major manufacturer of HF) but any radio technician worth his/her salt could
check out the system easily. A proper
test should take less than an hour.
Most of these radios have a number of testing facilities that you can
check your self. Look in the hand book. If they look ok you may need to make sure the radio frequency circuit is on frequency, best done by a radio technician.
Hope this helps
Enjoy your trip
AnswerID:
421507
Reply By: MEMBER - Darian, SA - Sunday, Jun 20, 2010 at 11:37
Sunday, Jun 20, 2010 at 11:37
Trust you get the help you need with the HF - Barrett units are very common and a respected make - service should not be an issue in general. If staying in caravan parks, you might be lucky to bump into an owner who is up to speed with the techno issues on HF - as mentioned, you can access a bit of info on screen re power consumption etc. - it might be something simple like a loose earth etc. Also, as you've twigged, another user in your location communicating with a distant base would allow you to
test your unit. As for Cluncurry - nice town but thanks for
the tip re radio repair (don't :-o).
AnswerID:
421528